The National tribune., 1887-12-29
cor. GRoVER sPEAKs.
He Advocates Retaining Assistant AGjutant-Gen-
erals Five Years In Office.

He Advocates Retaining Assistant AGjutant-Gen-
erals Five Years In Office.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The question
Of retaining in Office good and efficient COM
rades in the various Grand Army Posts may be
overbaanced at times by the necessary change,
in order that all may have chance" In
local assemblies this is perhaps as it should be,
but too much cannot be said concerning the
ruinOus consequences of annual changes in the
position of Assistant Adjutant-General in De
partment Headquarters. 1t is impossible for
any one man TO become familiar with the ardu-
Gus duties of that office inside of six months
after appointment; and it is q question if the
entire time be not occupied in getting right
down to business.
In our State we have, in round numbers, $50
Posts. These are of course, separate organiza-
tiOns, meeting regularly and transacting the
routine business of the circle. Any good, moral
man, with ordinary ability, may command a
Post. Posts are like the brilIiants in the fir
mament, revolving around one grand orb,
which itself moves to the great center of
attraction. That orb" is the Department
Commander, and that "center of attraction "
the National one. Hundreds of applications, in
quiries useless and idiotic demands, are made
through the Department Headquarters, all OF
which must necessarily fall into the hands of
the Department Man Friday" must be par
doned for saying that all organizations are in
tested, more or less, with trickey cusses, and
ours is not entirely devoid Of the article. Ger
tain demands are made upon Department Com
manders, particularly after an early election,
and who so important an aid to him, under
the circumstances, as an experienced Assistant
Adiutant- General. / have before agitated the
question of retaining in Office for, say, five
years the Assistant Acknowledgement. he be-
comes well acquainted with his duties; he Is
familiar with every Post, with every old de-
serving soldeF-so to speak-and in one week
from the day Of q Department change of Com
mander, the tide of Grand Army affairs may
/ be in the smoothest Running order. 1t now,
usually, requires six months TO learn the du.
| ties Of the Office, and the other six months arc
required to correct the blunders of learning it
| 4 word in favor of the Assistant Adjutant
| General Of Ohio, Col. James L. Stewart. Ii Is
! conceded that better and more reliable Officer
never filed the position in this or any Other
| State Of the Union. lie is attentive, agreeable
1 highly educated, and is worthy the highes
! position, not only in the Department, but il
/ the National Headquarters. He has, by hi
immense Grand Army experience, greatly as
sisted Col. Putnam, the Department Com
mander. 1t would be mistake bayand re
! demption to remove snch an officer for one
! however deserving, and | claim upon the broat
! principle eP Grand Army success that no AS
~gistdnt Adiutant- General should serve a tern
OF less than five years. A Department Com
mander is mere figurehead and the position
! may be changed annually, but the bone AM
sinew Of Department or National Commando
and the true pivot-wheel of Posts, is the Assist
ant Adjutant-General, who knows and impart
the duty OF that position, which only become
what it should be, the day he "vamooses tn
ranch. John HOLMES GROVER, Post No. Al
Department of Ohio Carey, o.